Charles e



(No Model.)

0. E. KEATOR.

FINISHING BLOGK- FOR HATS. No. 334,236. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

ill WITNESSES: INVENTOR .A I. I Uxcmhs 'E.'\eo.cor.

BY haw/ 'Ms. ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. Phowumo n her, Washi n nnnnnn c.

CHARLES E. KEATOR, OF BROOKLYN, NE? YORK.

FINISHING-BLOCK FOR HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,236, dated January 12,1886.

Application filed October 7, 1885. Serial No. 179,234. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. KEATOR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Finishing-Blocks for Hats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists is an improved hatblock, which is especially adapted for use on oval lathes of well-known construction during the process of finishing the hats.

This improved finishing-block consists, essentially, of a low block or band'block, having thereon a shank,which is adapted to be grasped by the chuck of the oval lathe, and in combination with such a block Iuse abag of rubber or other suitable material, which is secured to the band-block, and can be inflated subsequent to the insertion of the block into the hat. The inflation of the bag is accomplished by the use of a pump or other air-compressing apparatus, and when the bag is thus inflated the same bears closely against the interior surface of the hat and affords a cushion for the same.

The object of my invention is to procure a finishing-block by the use of which hats, both soft and stiff, can be finished upon an oval lathe, the said operation having been heretofore practically impossible, owing to the use of the ordinary wooden block, which completely filled out the interior of the hat and offered a hard,unyielding bearing for the same, so that the latter were frequently injured by unavoidable shocks. The air-cushion formed in the hat by the inflated bag offers ayielding support for the material of the hat, and consequently the hat cannot be injured under any circumstances.

The specific construction of my improved hat-block is more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved finishing-block. Fig. 2 shows a section of the block as provided with the bag, the latter being inflated. Fig. 3isaside elevation of the same on asmaller scale than the preceding figure. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the block, showing the bag secured to the same in a modified manner.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. In the drawings, the letter A designates the band-block, to which is secured a shank, A, which is adapted to be inserted into the chuck b of an oval lathe of any well-known construction. When the hat is drawn over this bandblock A, the latter extends into the hat about the usual depth of the sweat -band, and the greater part of the crown of the hat is thus left entirely unsupported.

As will be perceived, this block is only intended for stiff hats, since soft hats would give beneath the pressure applied thereto during the process of finishing; but stiff hats will resist this pressure without additional support in the crown portion, while at the same time the hat will yield sufficiently to prevent the felt from being injured during the operation.

In order to render such a block adapted to use both for soft andstiff hats, I make use of a bag, B, of rubber or other elastic material, which is secured air-tight'to the block, and can be inflated without removal from the block.

In the example shown in Figs. 2 and 8 the band-block is formed of two transverse sections, 1) b, and over the upper section, b, the open end of the bag is drawn and turned around the lower side of the said section. The bag is securely held to the block by being jammed between the two block-sections?) b, which latter are secured to each other by screws 0, or by other suitable means. Atube, G, extends through the two sections and opens into the interior of the bag, the said tube being provided with a suitable cock, 0. Air or other fluid is forced in the bag by the use of a pump or similar forcing apparatus, which is coupled to the tube 0, causing the bag to expand and fit neatly against the crown of the hat, and thus forms a perfectly steady but at the same time a sufficiently yielding support for the hat, so that the latter cannot be inj ured by certain shocks of any description.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the block is in one piece, being constructed precisely as the block shown in Fig. 1, and the bag is secured thereto around its bottom by the use of ametallic ring, D, which wedges the ends of the bag between itself and the block. The air for inflating the bag is conducted to the interior of the bag as before described.

Instead of using only one tube, 0, for conducting the airto the bag B, two tubes communicating with the latter may be secured to the block,

one of which would serve as an inlet-tube and be provided with a self-closing valve, while the outlet-tube would be provided with a cock, as before.

The air necessary for inflation might be introduced directly through the shank A of the block, instead of being introduced on one side of the same, as previously described.

Instead of using air to inflate the bag, water or other fluid may be employed, or sand may be used to effect the same purpose.

It is clear that a block constructed as described can be used with hats of any shape of crown, since the bag will conform to the shape of the hat during inflation.

When such a bag as described is used in connection with the block, it is not necessary to tack the hat down to the block, as is ordinarily done.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is a 1. The combination, with the block A,of the bag B, secured to the block and adapted to be inflated,substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination,with the sectional block A, of the elastic bag B, secured tothe sectional block and adapted to be inflated, and the shank on the lower section, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribo ing witnesses.

CHARLES E. KEATOR. [L. 8.]

Witnesses:

XV. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

